


Against Hope. Against Reason. Against Peace.

by HisWarrior



Series: One of Two Ways [2]
Category: Chris Barnett - Fandom, Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Original Work, TikTok - Fandom
Genre: @thechrisbarnett, Bad Words are used, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I kept writing, Romance, Royalty, TikTok, TikTok trend, You Have Been Warned, it's begging me to write it out, royal acting challenge, though no archive warnings apply
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26604697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HisWarrior/pseuds/HisWarrior
Summary: "Your kingdom does not deserve my daughter," the lady had stated, her eyes fixed and stern upon mine."I beg of you your grace, tell me where she is."To protect me, my love had left me. And I would do all within my power to change our fates.Version 1 of "One of Two Ways"
Series: One of Two Ways [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935394
Kudos: 2





	Against Hope. Against Reason. Against Peace.

The table was filled with a mix of both friends and enemies.

Of course, such was the way when you were a king in a cocktail of courtiers.

Each noble engaged in small talk with another, smiles freely given without warmth or friendship. Each of these men given to their own agendas; none of which would truly benefit my kingdom or my people.

I nearly spat. My anger burned low but hot, kindled with the coals that had freshly begun when the woman I loved erased herself from my life.

But that anger was not directed towards her. Never her. It could have been, had I been of a less sound mind. I could have easily blamed her for the ache I felt at the reminder of her absence.

However, I was of sound mind, and understood the reasoning for her departure, though I hated it nonetheless.

The gossip surrounding her birth had begun with these men. Whispers in the dark and actions in the light. Making it clear that they could not see the virtues of the woman that had captured me.

Bastard, they called her. Whore, harlot..., even witch. For they could see no reason why I had become so attached to her.

They never saw her work worn fingers, from when her birth mother was still alive. In the years, her father never acknowledged her, she had been a working maid in the households of merchants and nobles. She knew the inner workings of these courtiers' homes, in ways that I as king never could.

They never saw her with the people, coming with me in our disguises to plow fields and mend gardens. They did not see how those hands so torn from work were so gentle with a villager's babe or caressing a chicken into submission.

They never knew her with my father; how she had caused him to roar with laughter when her blunt understanding of court brought her nothing but irritation. They did not see how she helped to care and comfort him in his last days. And they had no idea how her words, her confidence, and her steady presence had strengthened their prince to accept his place as their king.

She had often confided to me how the duchess taking her in had been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that she had been given a second mother, a better situation, and the ability to help the people she had grown up among. But a curse, because she rested in a lonely place of being between a kitchen maid and a noble lady.

But I forever blessed the duchess for being the cause of our meeting. The duchess, being in close friendship with my father (though her husband had been a different matter altogether), had confided in the king that her new daughter was restless. Apparently, the young maid was a restless worker, and needed something useful to do to be of assistance to another.

My father, kind man that he was and curious at the duchess' statements, had offered to take the girl and make her his assistant. That way, this new daughter to the duchess would receive an understanding of court life, and something to do to 'assist' another.

I do not believe that it was ever my father's intention that we should ever connect as we did.

She had come to court, shy and demure, the perfect picture of a humble, contrite young woman. And my father had been pleased with her work and assistance. Very much so.

I, on the other hand, had taken little notice of her. Not necessarily on purpose, but she never did anything to draw attention to herself.

But she would make herself very distinct to me just 3 months into her position.

There had been a large banquet, a royal function, and I had been seated next to an increasingly persistent countess. And the woman had taken one too many glasses of wine. I was having to insist that the countess stop clutching my arm, when my father's fresh-faced assistant appeared at my opposite elbow.

_"Forgive the interruption your highness,"_ she said, soft but steadily. _"His majesty has need of your input on a matter of some urgency."_

I may have sighed aloud in my relief to be out of the countess' immediate vicinity. I hastily made my excuse to the noble and vacated the empty seat that was now at my father's side.

_"You wanted to speak with me?"_

My father had chuckled, glanced at me, and grinned like a child.

_"I like this new assistant of mine,"_ he responded. He looked past me, and I turned to match his gaze. The young lady stood by the wall next to the captain of the guard, the two engaged in quiet conversation.

_"I am glad to hear it sir,"_ I replied, _"but is that why I was fetched?"_

 _"I did not send for you,"_ he said, chuckling again before popping a grape into his mouth. _"The Lady Ruth believed that you were uncomfortable. She made new seating arrangements for you. And all without offending the countess."_

I could hardly contain the astonishment that I had suddenly felt in that moment. I slowly turned back to look at her, this Lady Ruth. She had finished talking with the captain and was perusing the room with a practiced eye. When her gaze found my stare, her cheeks flushed.

Her eyes, bright and beautiful eyes, were green.

_"Thank you,"_ I whispered.

A smile graced her features, and she bowed her head.

There was no forgetting her after that.

And these men, now surrounding me... these hateful men, only near me because they could use me; they had been the ones to ostracize her. Through veiled threats they had convinced her that if I should wed her, that they would incite a rebellion against me. Call me insane and paint her as a witch who had enchanted me. And, if that were not enough, they brought the record of her birth. A statement that would mar my name if I married her.

It took all self-control to keep my anger in check. To continue letting these noble men discuss and talk amongst themselves like a flock of useless pigeons.

I thanked God that the man who had fathered Ruth was no longer alive. Because, if he were, then my rage would need no further kindling.

But I needed to wait. Bide my time. And yet, the duchess had not entered, and I began to doubt if she would come.

The duchess had been very blunt with me when I had rushed to her, two months ago now, desperate to find where Ruth had gone.

_"Your kingdom does not deserve my daughter,"_ the lady had stated, her eyes fixed and stern upon mine.

_"I beg of you your grace, tell me where she is."_

_"If I could tell you where she went, I would have. But she has vanished from me as well. Desperate to protect you."_

_"She told you this?"_

_"She told me everything,"_ the Lady Marion barked. _"Weeping, she told me that you intended to marry her. And that she could not bear to destroy you by doing so."_

_"Destroy me?"_

The full account had been told to me then. Every slight, every harsh word, every action against my beloved, exposed before me in the light of the duchess' parlor.

_"Bring my daughter back to me,"_ Marion ordered when she was through. _"And by all the powers you possess, find a way. Find a way around their schemes, around the law they have bound you by. Find a way and bring justice for the woman who would have married you without a second thought."_

It had been a torturous two months since then. Two months of having to set aside my heart and not use the means I had been given to search for Ruth. But instead, to bide my time and search for the means by which Ruth and I would be free to wed. Two months of speaking with the captain of the guard and the servants lining the hallways. They would be my key witnesses of the threats made against my throne. But they would only serve as my final attack. Though the second attack, I hoped, would be the fatal blow.

The first move would be made by the duchess, whom I was becoming increasingly anxious would not show her face in court.

The second attack was a gift by my late father. As if the man had known what would happen after his death.

It would not have surprised me a bit.

The hour was growing later, and I had nearly made up my mind to dismiss the court, when the doors were flung open and Duchess Marion stepped into court.

She was the picture of stern grace and cold beauty, and I realized with great appreciation that her timing had been key. While I had been impatiently trying to move the pieces on the chessboard and finish the game, she had been moving her piece in the background, for just the perfect moment.

The duchess curtsied deeply before me. And when she rose, she did not miss a breath.

"My lord king," she began, "I have come on behalf of my estate and the rule of succession."

I could hardly contain the sudden and giddy excitement that leapt inside of me as if I were no more than a youth.

"Make your case," I commanded, knowing full well how this would play out.

"Sire, you know in truth as well as anyone that my husband had but one living child. Though not mine by birth, I have taken the Lady Ruth in as my own. But, as she was born outside the means of wedlock, I know that when I am no longer living, that all the lands and titles under my name will be given to another. That the consequences of her birth will leave her illegitimate for the inheritance. She will be left destitute. I ask of thee, your majesty, is there no power that you have to change the course of my daughter's future?"

The court around us had begun to grumble and murmur amongst themselves. If I had not already been made aware of their intentions, I would no doubt have acted irrationally in those next moments.

However, such was not the case. I was prepared. Bishop takes pawn, and I was ready to move my queen.

"Your grace, I cannot give to the Lady Ruth that which she has not already been given," I began. The nobles talked amongst themselves, agreeing with my initial words.

"I cannot give her more than she has because the inheritance is already left to her name."

There was sudden silence within the room. Not one courtier said a word.

I ignored the lot of them, focusing only on the duchess and on the pounding of my heart.

I reached into my breast pocket and showed to the room a rolled scroll.

"Before his death, my father, King Reginald, did a final act of courtesy to yourself and Lady Ruth. In the company of four witnesses, including Captain Gerald and Bishop Herron, he arranged and signed a document that expunges Lady Ruth of being anything but the legitimate heir of your estates."

You could have heard a pin drop at the absolute silence that permeated the room.

"I have no reason to deny your request, as there is no reason for you to make it," I finished. "The Lady Ruth is the legal heir to your estates. You need not fear for her future."

Duchess Marion smiled, and swept a deep curtsy before me again.

Then the chaos began. Noble men who had only moments ago been enjoying their victory were scrambling over each other arguing over how it was 'their fault'.

But I ignored them. Dismissing the court, I saved my running for when I was free of their prying eyes. I trusted a few choice men and my captain to contain the mess I was leaving. Because I would not hesitate for one more moment.

When I was sure no one watched, I ran through the hallways and out of the castle as quickly as my legs would carry me. My manservant waited by the stables, and I traded my royal garments for something more discreet. My horse was brought, saddled and ready for a short journey.

"Bring her back soon sire."

I smiled at the stable boy and my manservant, swinging myself upon my mount.

"I fully intend to," I replied, before giving the horse his head, and racing out of the main gate.

_"I love you. Against hope. Against reason. Against peace."_

I had found a way. And now, I would find her.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first part of a continuation of my story "Worth Starting a War?". 
> 
> However, there are two different ways this story could go after the initial start. So, I will be writing two very different ways this whole thing goes down.
> 
> This is part of version 1.


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